Don Wassall said:
Jim Brown, who retired unexpectedly at the age of 30 while still at the peak of his running ability, used to threaten to un-retire and play again in the NFL just so Franco Harris couldn't surpass his career rushing mark. He hated how Harris ran out of bounds to avoid contact, the first running back to do so on a regular basis. Now of course almost all of them do it as a matter of routine.
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<div>Brown used to also mock Harris's lack of speed and instead of playing again challenged him to a 40 yard race, which took place when Brown was 47 and Harris was 31 (give or take a year). Harris won, but they both had ridiculously slow times. </div>
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<div>Walker would be a joke trying to play at 48 or 50, but there are quite a few lousy running backs in the league who he wouldn't look all that bad against by comparison.</div>
The Jim Brown vs Franco Harris event took place in January 1985 when Harris was 34 and Brown was a month shy of his 49th birthday. It was the ultimate TrashSport, but was unique, according to the 1989 book, The Pro Football Chronicle.
Brown and Harris competed in four events over two days-racquetball, one-on-one basketball and football and the 40-yard dash.
Brown weighed 229, about his playing weight. Good for almost 49. Harris weighed 228.
Brown easily won at racquetball, but the basketball games were brutal. Brown and Harris almost got into a fight. Brown won the basketball competition two games out of three. In the third game, Brown trailed 20-14 when he called a timeout and sat down on the bench. Four kids at the elementary school where the event was held toweled him off.
Brown rose and scored the last eight points to win 22-20. The crowd went wild.
The football competion was somewhat ridiculous. Each man ran four pass patterns against the other on a 12 foot wide carpet. Phil Simms did the throwing. Brown pulled a tendon but kept going. Harris narrowly won the football event.
Brown's leg was bothering him, but he decided to give it a go in the 40-yard dash and even took an early lead, but pulled up just as Harris passed him. Harris' time was 5.16 seconds.
It had been decided that the winner of the 40 yard dash would be the overall winner, so Harris was declared the victor.